1. Technical Field
This invention relates to battery testing devices and, more particularly, to a a portable assembly for assisting a technician to test the operability of a battery charging system commonly employed in golf carts and the like.
2. Prior Art
Often an electrically driven vehicle will appear to be fully charged but the batteries may fail after a short period of use due to a defective battery in the series. This can lead to a difficult situation when a golf cart fails on the back side of the course where a tow vehicle then must be employed to remove the cart to the club house for repairs. Further, this creates loss of revenues for the golf course and annoyance for the golfer, resulting in fewer repeat visits by the golfer.
Fast charging of batteries are now becoming well known. Electric vehicles are now becoming more popular for a variety of reasons. Indeed, electric vehicles may become mandated to a greater or lesser extent due to the imposition of regulations requiring that at least a certain percentage of vehicles sold by any one manufacturer of vehicles—especially, passenger cars with seating from two to nine passengers, including the driver—and which are conventionally powered by internal combustion engines, must also include a specific number of vehicles that are so-called “zero emission” vehicles. That means that such vehicles have no emissions of noxious gasses, and the most common type of vehicle which would meet such stringent standards is an electric vehicle. Electric vehicles are powered by batteries, and present a number of problems or other difficulties to be overcome.
Not the least among those problems is the fact that in order for an electric vehicle to have any reasonable range—the distance that it can be driven—there has to be significant energy storage by way of batteries onboard the vehicle. As the vehicle is driven, it removes energy from the batteries, converting it to driving power delivered to the wheels of the vehicle, and thus there is only a finite distance or period of time over which the vehicle can be operated without requiring that the batteries be recharged.
Other related conditions also arise in respect of fleets of vehicles that are privately or corporately owned, but which may have differing purposes. For example, large manufacturing plants, distribution warehouses, and the like, may have a very considerable number of battery powered fork lift trucks, other traction or towing devices, and so on. Golf courses usually have a large number of golf carts to be rented by golfers playing a round of golf—indeed, some courses require that the players utilize a golf cart. Other such fleets may be localized, such as mail or courier package delivery carts that operate in a localized delivery route, day after day.
As the use of electric vehicles becomes more widespread, there will be a growing need for portable testing and charging systems. In the case of an electric vehicle, however, instead of gasoline being placed into the fuel tank of the car, electrical energy is transferred into the batteries of the vehicle.
Accordingly, a need remains for a portable assembly to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a portable battery testing and charging assembly for use with golf carts and other electric vehicles. Such a device would be convenient, easy to use and efficient. It would provide users with a means for quickly and easily jump starting their electric carts without the necessity of having another similar cart alongside to perform the “jump.” As a result, a user would not have to fear being stranded at a remote location, making the use of such carts more attractive to consumers, and thereby expanding their use and the productivity and enjoyment of those who use them.